High-tech car thieves at work in Taman Jaya Park

PETALING JAYA: Thieves believed to be equipped with high-tech gadgets are preying on parked vehicles at the Taman Jaya recreation park in Section 10 here - disabling vehicle alarm systems and stealing valuables.
Recently, a jogger lost several thousands of ringgit in cash and valuables after leaving his car at the carpark of the place.
Apart from being shocked by the loss, he was puzzled as to how the thieves had gained entry into his car as there were no signs of forced entry.
The victim who went to the park with his family had earlier left his wallet, cellphone and other valuables in the car before going for a jog.
He later lodged a police report at the district police headquarters here.
It is learnt that at least three others who had visited the park suffered similar losses after their car was broken in without a trace of force entry.
Petaling Jaya police chief ACP Mohd Zani Che Din who confirmed the case told theSun that police have lifted fingerprints from the victim's vehicle and are on the lookout for the thieves.
He said there are no close-circuit security cameras (CCTV) installed in the area nor are there security guards on duty especially during weekends.
Asked if the thieves had used special electronic gadgets to remotely disarm the alarm systems and unlock the car, Mohd Zani said it was yet to be acertained.
"It is difficut to acertain this as we have not found such gadget on those arrested in the past for committing similar crimes. We will increase our patrols in the area during peak hours. However, our advise to those who visit the park is to be extra cautious and refrain from leaving their cash and valuables in their vehicles." he said yesterday.
Checks on the internet showed that devices used to hack into car security systems and disable it exists and are being marketed under RM150 in overseas-based trade websites.
One such device called RollJam that has gained infamy is said to be able to undo the electronic locks in almost every car.
Foreign business news portal, Forbes.com reported in an article two years ago that the maker of the RollJam claimed that the device exploits digital keys and unlocks cars almost at will.
The gadget takes advantage of a design flaw in the protocol that determines how keys communicate with cars.
It intercepts "rolling codes", the one-time authentication codes exchanged by car and key that change with each lock and unlock.
As there is no timeout on the codes, RollJam can intercept them to ensure they never reach the car, and so it can be used later on.